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Home » Holiday Science » Easy Halloween STEM Challenges for Kids

Easy Halloween STEM Challenges for Kids

Modified: Oct 17, 2024 · Published: Oct 19, 2020 by Emma Vanstone · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

Halloween is fast approaching, so I thought it’d be fun to put together a collection of SPOOKY Halloween STEM challenges. Build play dough brains, candy grabbers, or mini light-up Halloween houses, or try one of the super simple spooky STEM ideas in the FREE challenge sheet below.

All the ideas use materials you probably already have around the house and are simple enough for older children to try independently and suitable for younger children with adult help.

STEM challenges are great for improving problem solving and team working skills.

Halloween STEM Challenges

Print the challenge sheet, choose your favourite, grab some materials and get started!

Halloween STEM Challenges
Halloween sTEM Challenges

Halloween Candy Grabber

This craft stick candy grabber is a brilliant hands-on engineering activity for Halloween and may come in handy for trick or treating, too!

The grabber is constructed from craft sticks and split pins, so is a fantastic, inexpensive design and technology challenge for Halloween.

Candy grabber made with lolly sticks for Halloween

Make a model brain

Create a brain using play dough. This is a great little challenge for learning about the lobes of the brain and their different functions.

Model Brain made with play dough, using a different colour dough for each hemisphere.

Once you’ve made a play dough brain model, try Left Brain, Craft Brain’s brilliant brain surgery ideas.

Trick or Treat – Halloween STEM Activities

Challenge a group of friends to find out who can build the tallest creepy structure using Halloween candy. Lemon Lime Adventures used toothpicks and little candy pumpkins, but you could use straws, marshmallows or even plasticine.

Can anyone make it strong enough to balance a pumpkin on top?

Halloween STEM Challenge - candy structures

If you’re lucky enough to have leftover candy, Halloween style candy chromatography, is always fun!

Blow up a pumpkin without touching it

Find out how to blow up a pumpkin balloon without touching it. This simple activity can be set up as an investigation by comparing the difference between balloons blown up with Alka-Seltzer and water, popping candy and water, or baking soda and vinegar.

Blow up a balloon with alka seltzer. Image shows a small orange balloon partially inflated on top of a small glass jar.

Light up a Halloween House

This spooky electricity activity also makes a great pumpkin alternative. Imagine a row of these spooky Halloween houses on a windowsill. The little houses have a simple circuit inside with a lightbulb. As an extension task, children can experiment with circuits in series and parallel and build a switch into the circuit as well.

light up a house with a simple circuit

Drawing Robot

Another fun electricity activity is to make a spider drawing robot. You’ll need a battery, elastic band, motor and wires for this one.

The best thing about drawing robots is that they can be themed however you like. Pumpkins, witches, wizards and monsters all work well.

Everything you need to make a spider drawing robot for a Halloween STEM challenge

Witchy Potions

We set up an investigation to find out which witchy drink makes the best bubbles. We used green smoothies, purple grape juice, and chocolate milk. Next time, we’ll try some fizzy drinks and make cocktails.

Which drink makes the most bubbles - Halloween STEM Activites for kids.Image of child blowing bubbles into a drink

Clean it up!

Make a witch’s potion using glitter and herbs in water, and then experiment to find a way to make the water clear again.

Hint – what could you use to filter the water?

Try a sieve, colander or even kitchen roll for your filter.

witchy-herbs in a wooden container

Ghost STEM Challenges

Can you find a way to make a flying ghost?

Try film canister rocket ghosts like Growing a Jewelled Rose, or how about making ghosts jump using static electricity?

Ghost rocket experiment - flying ghost film canisters

We love these easy Halloween shooters from Red Ted Art. Kids can experiment to find the perfect combination of the weight of the end part and the length of the straw to make the shooters travel as far as possible.

Halloween themed straw toy shooters made with paper and straws

Density – Halloween STEM Activity

Create a spooky density jar and find a creepy object to float on each layer. A very simple version of this uses just oil and water. The image below shows treacle, honey, red-coloured water and oil.

Halloween density jar made with treacle, golden syrup and other spooky liquids.

Make some noise

Experiment to discover many different eerie noises a simple spooky noise maker can make. Try to think of any other ways to make creepy noises.

The cup amplifies the sound, making it extra spooky!

spooky noise maker made with a plastic cup, paper clip and ribbon

Melting haunted hands

Find out how long it takes to melt a haunted hand. We love this simple but creepy idea from Happy Hooligans.

Make it an investigation by experimenting to find different methods of speeding up the melting process.

Frozen Halloween hands for a science experiment

Spooky Shadow Puppets

Create a spooky shadow puppet and scare trick-or-treaters with the shadows. Bats, ghosts, and pumpkins work really well! Add some cellophane for an extra special effect. This is a great activity for learning about transparent and opaque materials and realising that light travels in straight lines!

Bat shadow Puppet made with card and a lolly stick

FREE Printable Halloween STEM Challenges

These free printable Halloween STEM Challenges are perfect for a fun STEM afternoon at home or an alternative to a Halloween party.

Make a parachute for a spider, jumping ghosts, shadow puppets or toppling towers.

FREE printable Halloween STEM Challenges for kids
Halloween STEM Challenges
Halloween STEM Challenges for kids - scare yourself silly with these spooky Halloween STEM Challenges #Halloween #STEM

If you’re planning a Halloween party, I’ve got some great Halloween party ideas for kids, including potions, a spooky noise maker and pumpkin lava lamps!

If you’re looking for gross science ideas, my book Gross Science contains 60 icky, sticky and gruesome science experiments for kids and is available to order now!

Gross Science book for kids, image shows the book cover, blood cell cupcakes, fake poo and more disgusting science

Last Updated on October 17, 2024 by Emma Vanstone

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Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

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